It's OK to be WEIRD!

WW: Caricature of Mom {linky}

2012-05-15T21:49:25Z

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday!
Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

My Mother’s Day ‘card’ from my oldest son. He drew it himself. It totally cracks me up! (click it to see a larger picture)

The first pic is me, wearing an “Off the Wall” shirt because I’m weird and funny (i.e. Comide, which is really supposed to say “comedy”).

2nd Pic says Tech Whiz and I have my recording headphones on with an iPhone in 1 hand, and my MacBook in the other (of course it’s showing Facebook) and I’m wearing an “Off the Wall Social Media Management” shirt. There are wires all around me and *Snap* and *Zap* sounds…. I hope nothing really goes Zap though!

3rd pic says “Beautiful Mom” on a banner I’m wearing. 4th pic says, “Cook” and I’ve got a spatula in my hand.

(It wasn’t lost on me that I look least happy in the 4th pic! LOL!) Does he know me or what?

Thanks Bud Bud!

Wordless Wednesday is meant to be a simple post which features a photo to convey a message that speaks for itself without using words; well not a lot of words! (I failed the WORDLESS part miserably this week! LOL!)

Please feel free to link your Weird and Wordless (or Word-full) posts below.
Check out more Weird Wednesday, Wordful Wednesday
and Wordless Wednesday here on my blog.

I apologize for the weird formatting in my Linky box.
It’s some styling that I’m not sure how to fix.
So, just consider it some BONUS weirdness, k? LOL!

If you like, leave me a comment to tell me
what weird and beautiful things you’ve seen this week!

Dads Deserve to be Healthy Too with @AdultEssentials #Giveaway

2012-05-14T19:30:46Z

The dads in our lives deserve to be as healthy as they can be, so they can be at their best, and Adult Essentials can help them do that!

What man doesn’t love a good tasting gummy treat every once in a while? After all, men are just kids at heart, right?!

Adult Essentials vitamins taste so yummy that they are hard to turn down. In fact, they are difficult to forget because they really do taste THAT good!

Adult Essentials are pectin based gummy vitamins that are:

gluten free, nut free, dairy free
approved by Health Canada
made with natural flavours and colours
delicious!!

Adult Essentials Gummies - Because Dad's like Gummies TOO!

Adult Essentials along with Multi-Testing Mommy and a group of amazing and influential bloggers are co-hosting a Dads Deserve to be HealthyGiveaway to celebrate healthy Dads in Canada.

We’ve been enjoying Adult Essentials at our house for a while now. I think guys often forget to take their vitamins, or they think they don’t need them. My Sweetie says it doesn’t feel like he’s taking vitamins when the vitamins come in such a yummy form. That alone has made it easier for him to remember them. We’ve heard that B vitamins help with stress and immune system health, so he’s been really good at remember those gummies every day, because he knows he needs them! BONUS that they taste great too!!

Would you like to enter to win a handsome monogrammed black gym bag FULL of Adult Essentials for that important Dad in your life? Enter the Rafflecopter Form below.
Giveaway is open to Canadian Residents only and ends on June 17th 12:01AM.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adult Essentials are available online at Well.ca and at most Rexall Pharma Plus, Metro, Sobeys, Lowblaws/Real Canadian Super Stores, London Drugs and now at Shoppers Drugmart.

To learn more about Adult Essentials, feel free to visit them:
Adult Essentials Website
@AdultEssentials on Twitter
Adult Essentials on Facebook

Thank you to Adult Essentials for the opportunity to try out a selection of their Gummy Vitamins, and to share this contest with you. I have received product samples as compensation for publication in this space. I am in no way responsible for the contest described, and I am not eligible to win the prizes. As always my opinions and experiences are my own, and are not influenced by any compensation.

Moms, we love and honour you!

2012-05-13T22:32:27Z

Moms, we honour and love you! Happy Mother’s Day!

A Training Ground for Life – NOT a Museum

2012-05-11T23:31:37Z

As a family, we all take care of the house together. At least, that’s the theory.

Do you know what that means? When someone else doesn’t get to their job, it doesn’t mean I, as the mom, have to scramble to do their job for them before someone comes to the house so we can be ‘presentable’.

If our house was a museum, or a show home, it would be necessary to keep it all up at once, but it’s not. Projects happen, and can’t be put away in the middle of them. People forget to do things, or CHOOSE not to do things. It happens!

Our home is a training ground for life – and sometimes life doesn’t just pick up your messes when you forget them. And let’s face it, Mom doesn’t always have to rush in to ‘fix’ everything. Honestly, there isn’t time to do what Mom needs to do AND do everybody else’s jobs, too. There just isn’t! Not for this Mom anyway…

Natural consequences are a part of life – even if that means a messy sink full of dishes when a guest arrives, right?

Now, if you come to my house, and things aren’t ‘so-so’, you’ll know why. We’re trying to raise responsible adults, and we, as adults ourselves, aren’t always the most responsible. We are PEOPLE, we are a FAMILY, and we make mistakes while trying to work together. We aren’t always all on the same page at the same time, we aren’t always put together at the same time, and our house isn’t going to be, either.

Next time you walk into another family’s home, and things aren’t picture perfect, do me a favor – Don’t automatically assume it’s because the wife/mom can’t keep up with everything and run an orderly household. She’s not the only one who lives there, and she may be in the middle of teaching important life lessons to her kiddos. It’s OK to say nothing at all, forget about the state of “things” around you, and focus on your friend.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If you’re coming to see my house, make an appointment. If you’re coming to see me, drop by anytime – just don’t judge me for where my life with my family happens to be at that moment.

No, I don’t live in a show home or a museum. I live in the rough and tumble trenches of life . I do my best to provide a home that is a haven from a big ugly world outside, but sometimes life and its lessons are messy. The training ground that is our home usually reflects the lessons we’re learning – you’ll have to adjust with us accordingly!

If you can imagine it, you can make it, with Kellogg’s Canada! #SpringShapes

2012-05-11T00:12:59Z

Well, spring is definitely here, and I always find it’s a fun time to start making lighter, FUN treats for the kiddos. We bake a lot in the winter, but as it warms up, it’s nice to have fun with other kinds of snacks.

One of our FAVS is Rice Krispie Treats – they are allergy friendly (no nuts!) and we can make SO many different things out of them.

I’ll have to remember to take pictures of our next creations, because Kellogg’s Canada is having a Shapes of Spring CONTEST!

(snapshot of contest page - click to visit the page and enter!)

I can hardly wait to see what the kiddos will come up with for our next batch of Rice Krispie Treats. I’m guessing tanks, planes, and maybe some guns will come from the boys, and maybe a bunny, some flowers and a heart might be what Sweetheart makes. It’s always fun to see what they can imagine. And with Rice Krispie Treats, there’s almost no limit to what shapes and fun things we can make!

#Speroway needs your help in Haiti – Share, Donate & Win!

2012-05-11T00:14:12Z

Help Speroway fund charities for children, build a clinic, and feed children in Haiti by entering and sharing their great Share Donate & Win contest!

Prizes available:

iPad 3 (16 GB)
$500 WaySpa Package for Two
4 Cineplex Night Out Gift Packs
2 Big Kaboodle Combo Gift Certificates from Mabel’s Labels

Spot Prizes awarded every two weeks. See Rules & Regulations

What / Who is Speroway?

Spero is latin for “hope”. Way = to lead the way. Speroway – Delivering hope to needy children. “Pronounced spare-o-way, it represents a hopeful way forward, both for our organization and the people we assist.”

Speroway is an international non-profit relief organization. It is also a registered Canadian charity. They are doing a lot of work in Haiti to continue to rebuild the country, but they also provide programs across Canada and in other places around the world.

Speroway’s MISSION
Speroway’s mission is to respond to the needs of children and their families, both in Canada and internationally, with the help of caring Canadians. Speroway provides food, medicine, other essentials, and even education while sharing Christian love, compassion, and integrity.

Speroway’s Programs
Speroway is committed to delivering hope to children and families in need. Their programs are a reflection of their ongoing support and care for those less fortunate. Here are a few that caught my eye:

FEED-A-CHILD

It’s hard to face the future when you don’t know what you’re eating tomorrow! Look into the face of a hungry child and you’ll see a child with real hopes, real fears, and a very real need to eat. From areas devastated by natural disasters to countries caught in the grip of poverty, countless hungry children need help!

CHILD CHAMPIONS

Every child needs a champion, someone who will fight for their rights and needs. Reach into the life of a child through Speroway’s child sponsorship program and become a “Child Champion”. You can impact a child’s life forever. Every child deserves basic necessities like food, medical care, and education. Changing a child’s future – can you think of anything more important?

FIRST NATIONS

The first time I heard about with Speroway, it was about their work with the Canadian First Nations. High unemployment rates and an extremely high cost of living results in First Nations communities in Northern Canada living in poverty. This can be unreasonably difficult for First Nation children who simply want to have a good meal everyday.

ABANDONED BABY CENTER

A baby’s feverish eyes show the suffering. Ragged breath points to pneumonia, tuberculosis or worse. The agony of slow starvation is heartbreaking, and every day babies like this are orphaned or abandoned in Kenya. They are innocent victims and their needs are urgent! Speroway provides a center where these babies are cared for until they can be adopted.

FOOD DROPS

Thousands of children live below the poverty level in Canada, and don’t have enough to eat on a daily basis. Speroway gathers food from over 110 procurement partners and other generous groups and put together a 25+ pound box of food – enough to provide a child a meal a day for 7 days. Food drops are a tangible way to put Speroway’s mission into action and to provide a helping hand to people in communities across Canada.

Speroway does amazing things for families in Canada and around the world. With their Share, Donate & Win Contest, you can help with these kinds of special programs, and have a chance at cool prizes, too! It’s a Share & Win contest, so the more you share about it, the more entries you get! Enter today, and you can help Speroway make a difference in Canada, Haiti, and around the world. Speroway has a new Facebook page, too – check it out: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Speroway/181340085244720

Thank you to Speroway for the opportunity to share this contest with you. I have received compensation for publication in this space. I am in no way responsible for the contest described, and I am not eligible to win the prizes. As always my opinions and experiences are my own, and are not influenced by any compensation.

WW: April showers brought APPLE Flowers! {linky}

2012-05-11T00:15:58Z

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday!
Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

Crabapple Blossoms in my front yard!

Wordless Wednesday is meant to be a simple post which features a photo to convey a message that speaks for itself without using words; well not a lot of words!

Please feel free to link your Weird and Wordless (or Word-full) posts below.
Check out more Weird Wednesday, Wordful Wednesday
and Wordless Wednesday here on my blog.

I apologize for the weird formatting in my Linky box.
It’s some styling that I’m not sure how to fix.
So, just consider it some BONUS weirdness, k? LOL!

If you like, leave me a comment to tell me
what weird and beautiful things you’ve seen this week!

Things you learn on homeschool field trips

2012-05-11T00:15:06Z

MrCutie is finally embracing the idea that there are more places to learn than just at home for homeschool. So, when we had to pick up Sweetheart from school (because SHE still goes to school) to take her to the clinic (she has bronchitis by the way), MrCutie decided since it was different from the scheduled school work, it was a field trip. We always debrief with “What did we learn” from these experiences. This is what we learned on Wednesday, which was also McHappy Day:

People are VERY likely to buy raffle tickets from a nice police officer standing in the drive-thru lane at McDonald’s on McHappy Day. This can make drive-thru lanes on these days pretty slow!

But, it’s worth it, especially to take lunch to Dad, who was working hard and forgot to pack a lunch.
And maybe not-so-worth-it when Mom won’t buy a Big Mac or Happy Meal for everyone in the car, because there’s NO NEED when the trip is simply going to include a quick run to the clinic, maybe to the pharmacy, and then to HOME, where snacks can be gathered without the use of Mom’s bank card.

Remember which pedal is the brake, and which one is the accelerator. It could be the difference between driving into the shopping center, or simply parking in the shopping center parking lot.
Shopping center front windows don’t make as much noise when a car crashes into them as you might think.
large, heavy mall garbage can
Mini-van + large outdoor garbage can + storefront + unanticipated acceleration = lots of glass and crunched metal.
A garbage can on top of a mini-van actually looks really funny, but it’s not good for the roof or front windshield of the mini-van.
A mother’s curiosity regarding others’ misadventures is only matched by her strong desire to keep her children from getting in the way of the aftermath of others’ misadventures (i.e., I have no photos of the crash – I was too busy trying to keep MrCutie from joining the crowd forming around the crunch site!)
Tongue depressors are gross, and Sweetheart has a soft gag-reflex……. this can be a dangerous combination.
Navigating a shopping center parking lot where a garbage can is sitting on top of a mini-van can prove to be quite a challenge, and Mom CAN do it without calling anyone bad names.
“Running in to grab the prescription” isn’t nearly as straight-forward an operation as one might assume.
Last but not least, don’t forget to bring a snack on any field trip…. since you never know how long the clinic doctor will need to spend checking on people who drove into the storefront before getting back to his own clinic patients, or how long the prescription will really take to fill.

A couple of points of clarification:

There was no puke involved in this excursion (thank goodness!);
It was NOT me who ran into the storefront (thank goodness!);
Nobody was seriously injured (thank goodness!);
and during a longer than anticipated wait, MrCutie was thoroughly entertained (thank goodness!).

Also, on a more serious note, in our community, proceeds from McHappy Day go toward the Family Centre. MrCutie learned some cool stuff with the “Worry Dragons” program presented by the Family Centre, so he thought it was great that the whole community was supporting them.

Yes, it was definitely an educational adventure. You just never know what you’re going to learn when you’re out on a homeschool field trip!

WW: Fun Blue Lizard! She Knows Me Well {linky}

2012-05-02T03:41:47Z

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday!
Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

My daughter brought me a gift from her trip up to West Edmonton Mall last weekend. It is this SUPER cute Lizard Key Chain from Del Sol. I LOVE lizards and I LOVE blue and I love FUN things, and this fun lizard turns blue in the sunshine! I think she knows me well! What a sweetheart!! (It's actually a gecko, but you know what I mean! LOL!)

Check out the Color-Changing Gecko Key Chain at Del Sol!

Wordless Wednesday is meant to be a simple post which features a photo to convey a message that speaks for itself without using words; well not a lot of words!

Please feel free to link your Weird and Wordless (or Word-full) posts below.
Check out more Weird Wednesday, Wordful Wednesday
and Wordless Wednesday here on my blog.

I apologize for the weird formatting in my Linky box.
It’s some styling that I’m not sure how to fix.
So, just consider it some BONUS weirdness, k? LOL!

If you like, leave me a comment to tell me
what weird and beautiful things you’ve seen this week!

Marriage Rule #2 – Don’t discuss important things at bedtime

2012-05-02T03:09:22Z

I’m not sure if it’s really #2, but it should rank pretty high!

This rule came about from a few personal experiences.

My hubby is a morning person. I am a night owl. About 9:45pm his brain literally starts to shut down. FOR REAL! The lights are on but nobody’s home.

So, early in our marriage, while I was still not fully aware of this process, I would try to have conversations with my sweetie after he was in bed. He looked very much awake, and would carry on a completely coherent conversation. However, the next morning he would have NO recollection of that conversation.

It was his idea to make the rule “Don’t discuss important things at bedtime”. I think he was worried about me saying something like, “Honey, can we buy a new car?” And he’d reply, “Sure, did you have one picked out?” and we’d BOTH be in big trouble when I brought home a new car. (I’d never really do that, by the way…)

Last night, it happened again! Married almost 15 years and I’m still a little slow sometimes.

Hubby and the boys were going to be out all day today, so last night before bed I made them lunches to take with them. Hubby had already gone to bed. When I went in to go to bed, he woke up and started talking to me. SO, I told him to be sure to grab the lunch in the fridge before they left in the morning. {Remember the “I’m a night owl” thing…? Yah, I probably wasn’t going to be getting up at 6:30am on a Saturday to see them off!} I also said there was a plastic bag with dried mangoes and crackers on the table, and he’d need to take water bottles. He was very agreeable, tossed and turned a while, and then seemed to go back to sleep. The issue is that, apparently, he was never awake!

He came in this morning to say, “OK, we’re leaving now” and I asked about the lunch in the fridge. “What lunch?”

#FacePalm

Awesome. He’d not heard a word I said about the lunch I had made. HAHA! SO, this morning, he had spent extra time to make lunches for he and the boys to take. (I knew I should have stuck a post-it-note on his forehead.)

When I got up and went to get breakfast, the lunchbox was gone. So was 1/2 of the brick of cheese I bought yesterday (1/4 of which has already been sliced by me last night and included in the lunch that I made, and another 1/4 of which was apparently included in the 2nd lunch that was made this morning). There are NO MORE carrots or bell peppers (both of which I had already included in the first lunch, and apparently got put into the 2nd lunch) and all the crackers in the house are gone.

Oh well, at least they have enough to eat, right?

And thank goodness I wasn’t explaining anything life-threatening or supremely important. I know better than to discuss THOSE kinds of important things at bedtime!

This is a silly illustration, but it is still an important rule. Often, people are just too tired to be very rational right at bedtime. You’re ready to call it a night, not make life decisions. You’ve heard the saying, “Never go to bed angry.” And I agree with that, but that doesn’t mean you stay up all night to hash out an issue. It means that you are both willing to let go of whatever you think needs to be discussed, with a SOLID plan for when you WILL talk about it, because not talking about it isn’t an option. Pick the best time of day for you and your spouse, set a date, and talk! You’ll get much further in your conversation, make better decisions, and feel better about it all in the end.

Seriously – Do NOT discuss important things at bedtime! It could save your marriage – and a few double lunches, too!

What is one of your strong and fast marriage rules?

WW: Big Blue Sky, Alberta-Style {linky}

2012-04-24T20:33:47Z

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday!
Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

One of my favorite things about Alberta - BIG blue skies! The weird part is that out of a series of photos in this same position, only THIS ONE has the airplane in it! COOL, eh?

Wordless Wednesday is meant to be a simple post which features a photo to convey a message that speaks for itself without using words; well not a lot of words!

Please feel free to link your Weird and Wordless (or Word-full) posts below.
Check out more Weird Wednesday, Wordful Wednesday
and Wordless Wednesday here on my blog.

I apologize for the weird formatting in my Linky box.
It’s some styling that I’m not sure how to fix.
So, just consider it some BONUS weirdness, k? LOL!

If you like, leave me a comment to tell me
what weird and beautiful things you’ve seen this week!

A Chance to Send Your Kid to #CircleSquare Ranch Camps

2012-04-22T00:12:24Z

Summer is coming (maybe it has already arrived at your house). We all look forward to summer, but none of us more than kids! Summer is a time for kids to just be kids.

Summer is also a great time for children to reconnect with nature (or connect with nature for the first time), make new friends, and discover more about themselves.

Circle Square Ranch has Christian Summer Camps all across Canada. These camps give children and teenagers the opportunity to just be kids. Circle Square Ranch Summer Camps have everything you could want in a camp. With a focus on adventurous, outdoor activities like wilderness hikes, horse back riding, nightly campfires and exciting water sports, CSR has it all. The program at CSR is built to provide what campers need to be challenged, motivated, and most importantly, to have fun.

Circle Square Ranch has camps in Halkirk, AB; Wolf Creek, SK; Austin, MB; & Arden and Brantford, ON.

According to the InterVarsity 2010-2011 Annual Report:

There are certain conversations at camp that leave a permanent, you might even say, eternal, imprint. Such was the case this past summer for Robin Exner, the Director of Circle Square Ranch at Wolf Creek, SK. For a couple of days at camp, Robin had several serious conversations with a 12-year-old camper who had gotten himself into some mischief. And then, one night after campﬁre, the two talked about Jesus, and how believing in Him can turn your life around. The camper made a decision to follow Jesus that night. “I saw a visual transformation in him,” says Robin, adding “I was the same age and a camper at Circle Square Ranch when I gave my life to Jesus. My conversation with this boy brought all that back to me once again and made me so grateful to be able to reach children through camp.”

I know from my own kiddos’ experiences that there is something about being away at summer camp that can really open them up to talk about spiritual things. My boys, especially, have had some extremely interesting and deep conversations while camping out under the stars with a group of other boys their age and a sharp-witted camp counsellor. I’m always impressed to hear about their talks, and to see how much they have grown when I pick them up from their camps.

This year #CircleSquare Ranch is offering 20% off for new campers and a BIG contest, too! Click here to Enter to win a trip for two to Punta Cana, and free camp at any one of Circle Square Ranch summer camps for children. You can also get some great deals at Mabel’s Label’s and Crossroads.

This contest is open to CANADA, excluding Quebec. A full list of rules and regulations can be found: http://www.circlesquareranchcontest.com/Rules-and-Regulations. As a Share & Win COntest, the more you share, the more chances you get to win!

Kids just want to have fun, and there is tons of fun to be had at Circle Square Ranch Christian Summer Camps.

Good Luck and Happy Camping!

Thank you to Intervarsity Christian Fellowship for the opportunity to share this contest with you. I have received compensation for publication in this space. As always my opinions and experiences are my own, and are not influenced by any compensation.

It's OK to be WEIRD!

WW: Caricature of Mom {linky}

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday! Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

Dads Deserve to be Healthy Too with @AdultEssentials #Giveaway

Moms, we love and honour you!

A Training Ground for Life – NOT a Museum

If you can imagine it, you can make it, with Kellogg’s Canada! #SpringShapes

#Speroway needs your help in Haiti – Share, Donate & Win!

WW: April showers brought APPLE Flowers! {linky}

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday! Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

Things you learn on homeschool field trips

WW: Fun Blue Lizard! She Knows Me Well {linky}

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday! Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

Marriage Rule #2 – Don’t discuss important things at bedtime

WW: Big Blue Sky, Alberta-Style {linky}

A Chance to Send Your Kid to #CircleSquare Ranch Camps

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday!
Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday!
Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.

Welcome to WEIRD and Wordless Wednesday!
Almost always weird, and sometimes wordless, too.